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Though "Fear Factor" has seen its fair share of controversy, NBC finally deemed a stunt un-airable. TMZ reported that what would have been the Jan 30 episode, entitled "Hee Haw! Hee Haw!," featured contestants being asked to drink a glass of donkey semen and a glass of donkey urine. The stunt was allegedly so extreme that NBC executives decided to pull it from the schedule just the day before it was scheduled to hit living rooms nationwide, according to TMZ. According to TMZ, instead of the donkey-inspired episode in question, NBC will re-air the Jan 2 episode of "Fear Factor."

The Puerto Rico Supreme Court has upheld the decision not to allow Bioculture, Ltd. to build a primate breeding facility in Guayama, Puerto Rico. Bioculture's initial plan involved building a facility that would house 4,000 poop-slinging primates captured from the wild whose offspring would be sold to research labs in the United States. The Animal Legal Defense Fund, along with locals and PETA, drew public attention to the proposed project and brought a lawsuit forth to halt construction. In early 2010 the project was shutdown thanks to the court's ruling, but Bioculture continued the construction as they appealed their case. After years of public scrutiny and legal battles the Supreme Court upheld the trial court's decision and denied Bioculture's request for a rehearing.

Laboratory dog dealer, U.S. owned B & K Universal, had wanted to increase its current production of puppies for experiments to 2,000, to be sold for experimentation. East Riding of Yorkshire Council rejected the planning application at a meeting last year, at which the NAVS gave oral evidence. B & K Universal then appealed and the site was visited by a central Government planning inspector who in turn reported to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles for a final decision. On Jan 26 the Government has upheld the Council's refusal and the application has been rejected. The Government had received thousands of letters of protests, several petitions, and objections from some 30 Members of Parliament.

WWE Superstar and World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan is being honored by PETA for being a cruelty-free athlete. Bryan won the peta2 Libby Award for Most Animal-Friendly Athlete, according to Wrestle Zone. The wrestler has boasted that his vegan diet is what keeps him strong and gives him endurance in the ring. Bryan said, "My vegetarian diet allows me to lead a healthier lifestyle, reduce my carbon footprint, and save the lives of more than 100 animals every year. I'm stronger and healthier than ever, and I feel good about doing something positive for myself, animals, and the planet." Wrestle Zone added that millions have also "slammed meat to the mat" for the health benefits of a plant-based diet, a reduced environmental impact, and to stop contributing to the horrific treatment of animals in factory farms.

Newfoundland and Labrador MP believes it's time to examine whether the seal hunt should end. New Democrat Ryan Cleary says it seems no one wants seal products anymore. "Part of our history is also whaling, for example, and the day came when the whaling industry stopped," said Cleary, the MP for St. John's South-Mount Pearl. "Now, is that day coming with the seal hunt? It just may be." Russia, Belarus and Kazahkstan are the latest countries to ban the import and export of seal pelts. That follows a decision by the European Union to ban non-Inuit seal products. Cleary says Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador are taking a lot of heat for an industry which was worth only $1 million to the province last year. "We know that the world appetite is not there for seal meat, but the world appetite for seal products - I don't know if it's there. And you know what? I may be shot for talking about this, and for saying this, but it's a question we all have to ask." Cleary says he and the federal NDP still officially support the seal hunt.

A flaming-horned bull trampled and fatally gored a man early Saturday during a festival in eastern Spain, an official said. Large balls of flaming wax are traditionally affixed to the animals' heads before they are let loose to rampage through squares and narrow streets in such festivals. The mayor of Navajas, population 730, said emergency services in his town were unable to save the life of the 45-year-old man whose name was withheld. Jose Vicente Torres said the accident happened when the man, who had traveled from Alboraia, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) to the south, tripped just as the bull was released. Torres said the bull charged the man, gored him and then stamped on his head, causing him "irreversible juries." He said he had offered his condolences to the man's family, but would not cancel similar events scheduled for early Sunday.

Singer Jason Mraz has long been aware of the benefits of veggies in his diet. The man lives on an avocado farm. Now, for the last four months, the singer has been strictly putting plant based foods into his body, and the result has been nothing short of amazing. Mraz writes on his blog, "I've also been on a pretty strict plant-based diet for 4 months now - feeling stronger, fitter, healthier and more productive. I ride longer distances on my bike, can do more pull-ups than ever, and my brain seems to have a larger capacity for new projects, problem solving, songwriting, and fielding random questions. My health and strength make me a better performer and all that combined gives me more confidence to go out in the world and shine my light. It also makes me a lot better in bed. Just sayin..."

Reportedly, three Sea Shepherd activists (or whale warriors) have been injured in a clash with Japanese whalers. "The Japanese whalers have escalated their aggression by throwing iron grappling hooks at Sea Shepherd boats," the Sea Shepherd team writes. "Two Steve Irwin crew were struck in the shoulder with iron grappling hooks and one crewmember was struck twice in the face with a long bamboo pole."

Last May Jennifer Aniston was heartbroken after her much loved companion Norman passed away. The actress even got a tattoo of his name etched on her right foot. It seems now the star has adopted a dog to follow in the well-loved paw prints of Norman. Aniston reportedly traveled to Best Friends Animal Society in December to find a new addition to her family. No news on the name or breed of the pup, but it will be joining her other dog Dolly, a German Shepherd mix.

Launched in December, these nutrient-dense, plant-based whole food meals are provided for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Thrive Foods is delivered all over the U.S. to your home, office or hotel in a chilled box with the meals prepackaged and vacuum-sealed. All meals are made and shipped fresh with ingredients from certified organic farms. The meals come in containers made from recycled PETE (number 1) plastic and are easily recyclable. Thrive Foods is implementing a program for customers to send back their packaging, for free, so it can be reused. Thrive Foods was created by Brendan Brazier, who has been a vegan for 21 years and is a former professional Ironman triathlete. He wanted to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle and find the time. Brazier has worked with some prestigious people like Hugh Jackman. He also currently works with NFL players on the Jacksonville Jaguars, like Montell Owens and has worked with Toronto Maple Leafs Matthew Lombardi.

A truck loaded with more than 1,000 dogs heading for South China's Guangdong province was intercepted by local law enforcers and volunteers on Monday after a micro blogger posted a plea for help online when he spotted the animals in a truck on the highway. The dogs, some in critical condition, were taken to a rundown pig farm in Changsheng town, Southwest China's Chongqing.

A link between eating processed meat, such as bacon or sausages, and pancreatic cancer has been suggested by researchers in Sweden. They said eating an extra 50g of processed meat, approximately one sausage, every day would increase a person's risk by 19%. Eating red and processed meat has already been linked to bowel cancer. As a result the UK government recommended in 2011 that people eat no more than 70g a day. The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, analysed data from 11 trials and 6,643 patients with pancreatic cancer.

James Franco may have been a chimp researcher in The Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but in real life he has joined the fight to end testing on chimps. The actor has teamed up with Kevin Nealon in a pledge to help pass new legislation. The two stars appear in a new video from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) about chimp experimentation and how we can end it. The organization is working to get The Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act passed. PCRM says the law would "phase out the use of chimpanzees in invasive research in both federally funded and private laboratories, release the more than 500 federally owned chimpanzees to sanctuaries, and prohibit future breeding of chimpanzees for purposes of conducting invasive research."

Morrissey is known for speaking out for animals. He drew controversy when he compared the tragic killing of 97 people in Norway to KFC and McDonald's, and he was named PETA's UK Person of the Year in 2011. Now, the singer has joined the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in their campaign to end animal testing for cosmetics in the European Union. According to PR Newswire, he has joined the "No Cruel Cosmetics" campaign and said, "Say no to injecting, force-feeding or forcing animals to inhale substances for a new lipstick or shampoo. Please join me in signing the BUAV No Cruel Cosmetics petition to stop the sale of new animal tested cosmetics in the EU." The petition has also been signed by other celebs including Paul McCartney and Sienna Miller. There are bans on animal testing for cosmetics in the UK and EU, however the products can still be tested elsewhere and imported. A ban on those imports is supposed to start in 2013, however it may be delayed. BUAV is calling for the ban to be upheld. Over 140,000 people have already signed the petition.

Only a week after Pink saved a puppy thrown off an overpass in Los Angeles by paying the huge resulting vet bills, Carrie Underwood rescued an injured dog from a highway. According to People, Underwood was driving along a highway between Oklahoma and Tennessee on December 30 when she spotted two dogs on the median. The singer was heading home from a family holiday visit at the time. She wrote later on her blog, "I had Ace and Penny [Underwood's own dogs] and a trunk full of luggage and presents in the SUV." Sadly, one of the two had already died, and the other was "limping and bloody." Underwood says, "My guess is that the dogs were thrown out of their car by their owners on the highway." She decided to name her new friend Stella. After going to an emergency vet for treatment and grooming, Stella went to Underwood's house until a permanent home was found.

Ashley Judd is speaking up for circus animals. The actress and activist sent out a plea to her followers not to attend circuses, especially Ringling Bros. The actress and activist tweeted, "Please do not go to any circus, least of Ringling Bros. RinglingBeatsAnimals.com for info, largest case ever won against circuses for cruelty." That case resulted in a settlement in which Ringling agreed to pay $270,000 to the USDA for alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act, the largest penalty paid by a circus. The circus also agreed to provide Animal Welfare Act compliance training to all employees that work with their animals, starting in March.

Three anti-whaling activists boarded a Japanese vessel off southwest Australia on Sunday as part of a campaign to stop whale hunting in Antarctic waters. The three Australian men boarded the Shonan Maru No. 2 in early morning darkness as it tailed the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's flagship the Steve Irwin, the conservation group said in a statement. The three activists, who are members of an environmental group, said they were helping Sea Shepherd "end illegal whale poaching." The whale hunts, which Japan says are for scientific purposes, are allowed by the International Whaling Commission as an exception to the 1986 ban on whaling. But opponents say they are a cover for commercial whaling because whale meat not used for study is sold for consumption in Japan.

In a press release, Disneynature has announced that a portion of their first week box office sales from their film "CHIMPANZEE" will benefit the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) The nonprofit was founded by primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall and works to save great apes through research, public education and advocacy. The film, being released in theatres April 20, 2012, is going to help further that work. A portion of every ticket sale the week of April 20-26 will be donated to JGI through the Disney Widlife Conservation Fund. "CHIMPANZEE" directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield followed a chimp named Oscar and his family in the forests of Africa.

Barks of rejoice can now be heard throughout Ireland. After many, many years, puppy farms have been banned in the emerald isle. The law went into effect on New Year’s Day, and what a happy day this was for puppies. The government hopes to clean up its country's act by introducing two laws, the Welfare of Greyhounds Act and the Dogs Breeding Establishments Ac. These laws are set to control dog breeding and ensure breeders take care of their animals, in a suitable manner. In addition to animals of all kinds rejoicing for their fellow "man," "The Vampire Diaries" actor, heartthrob and animal activist Ian Somerhalder also showed his excitement for the ban on animal cruelty on Twitter. Now, anyone who breaks the law will be punished with harsh penalties.

The owner of an abattoir in Austria was seriously injured on Wednesday after being attacked by two calves about to be slaughtered, police said. The 55-year-old from near Graz in southern Austria was trying to unload the two animals from a truck when one of them pushed the loading ramp onto the man, knocking him to the ground. The other calf then wounded the man in the head, stomach and chest with its horns. He was later airlifted to hospital with internal injuries. The fate of the calves was not known.

Ricky Gervais isn't known for his self-censorship. Whether it's the Golden Globes or his twitter account, the comedian tells the truth, even when it's not the most popular opinion. Thankfully for animals, Gervais recently tweeted his thoughts on fur. As you might imagine, the animal advocate isn't a fan of skinning animals for fashion. It starts out pretty innocent with a "please" but it becomes obvious what Gervais thinks of those who make money off of selling fur. He tweeted, "Please don't buy fur. And let anyone who does know they're supporting the disgusting c&#%@ who torture beautiful helpless creatures to death." This insult came right after @P4Animals and @StopFurTrade asked him to sign a petition against dogs being skinned alive in China for fake Ugg boots. Gervais retweeted and responded, "Petition? I want to fucking kill someone."

Alan Cumming has gone from vegetarian to vegan, and credits another vegan celebrity for the inspiration. According to Contactmusic, the actor has been a vegetarian since early 2010, but has made it his New Year's resolution to remove all animal products from his diet in 2012. Cumming tweeted, "That's it. I was toying with going the whole hog to veganism and now I see Mike Tyson is the new Vegan posterboy! Sold! Get ye back, seitan!" Mike Tyson became a vegan in 2010. Cumming isn't the only celebrity to recently join team vegan. Stars are going veg in hopes of improving their health after watching the film Forks Over Knives, including Russell Brand, Eliza Dushku, and Ozzy Osbourne.

Mercy For Animals (MFA) has become known for their undercover investigations of factory farms and thought-provoking ad campaigns. Now, an investigation at a North Carolina Butterball turkey farm has led to a raid of the facility by law enforcement. According to MFA, the investigation took place over November and December of 2011 at a Butterball factory farm used to collect semen from the turkeys for breeding. Their investigator recorded video of horrific abuse, including "workers violently kicking and stomping on birds, dragging them by their fragile wings and necks, and maliciously throwing turkeys onto the ground or into transport trucks in full view of company management." The list continues, and many of the turkeys were left to die, a situation of which management was reportedly aware. The police raid took place in the morning on December 29th. According to ABC News, North Carolina officials raided the facility after a complaint was filed with the Hoke County District Attorney. Butterball, the largest producer of turkey in the United States, has over 2,000 turkeys at the NC factory farm, and the birds will all be inspected by the Hoke County Sheriff’s Department investigators. Independent vets will be determining which birds should be euthanized.

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Animal Friends is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, founded in 2001 with the aim to promote animal protection and animal rights as well as veganism, as ethical, ecological and healthy lifestyle.
Animal Friends Croatia is a member organization of EVU,
Eurogroup for Animals, ECEAE, FFA, IAFC and OIPA.